Process for volatilizing ores.



S. l. CLAWSON.

PRocEss Foa voLATlLlzlNG oREs.

. APPLICATION FILED AUG. Il. |909. 1,262,453.

i Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

x I; :f I Q f my lm mow PRGCESS FOB VOLATXLEZNG GEES. l'

recense.

' Specication of Letters Patent.

rateaaea apr. e, aars.

Application filed August 11, 1909. Serial No. 512,449.

To all whom z' may 00m/erm Be it known that l, SELDEN I. CLAwsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the. county of Salt Lake, State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Volatilizing Ores, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention rela-tes to new and useful improvements in an apparatus and a process of volatilizing ores.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus wherein the chlorin gasl may be re-claimed from the volatile chlorids and reused in the volatilization of the ores.

A further object of the invention is t0 provide a process wherein the chlorin gas' used in the volatilization of the orcs may be re-claimed and re-used in the further volatilization action.

These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

The ligure of the drawings shows more or less diagrammatically and in section an apparatus containing my improvements, and by which my improved process may be c arried out.

The apparatus as herein disclosed, consists of a furnace 1, which is provided with a re boX 2 and a closed chamber 3. A hopper 4 is connected by a chute 5 with a chamber 3. The gases from the re box will encircle the closed chamber 3, heating the same to the desired temperature, and pass through the pipe or stack 6. rlhe crushed ore which may be preheated, if desired, is fed through the hopper 4 and chute 5 t'o the chamber 3.

A pipe 7 leads through the wall 0f the furnace and into the chamber 3, and may be used for supplying said chamber with chlorin gas to aid in the chemical action upon the ore and the carrying on of the volatilization process. The ore in the chamber 3 will practica-ily close the chute 5, and prevent any draft through said chute.

A pipe 8 leads from the upper part of the chamber 3, and conveys the gases and fumes from the chamber. A suitable door 9 may be provided, and' a little air may be fed to the chamber 3 through the door, if desired; l or air may be forced in with chlorin gas through pipe 7.

The pipe 8 leads to a fume arrester 9,

which may be of any desired construction. As herem shown, said fume arrester is provided with side walls 10, and with a to portion 11, which has openings to allow t e escape of the air and gases which are not retalned in solution in the fume arrester.

The pipe 8 is carried into the central portion of the fume arrester and has a downwardly projectin end portion 1 2. The fume arrester is c arged with an acidulous solution, and thewater line is indicated in dotted lines in the drawings.

Extending through the fume arrester is a shaft 13 carrying a .plulley 14: at its upper end, whereby said s aft may be rotated. Said shaft carries a wheel or radially rojecting arms 15'near its lower end, w 'ch serves as a means to cause a circulation of the solution in the fume arrester, and thus aids in drawing the fumes into the solution by the suction produced by the revolving of the wheel or arms.

An electrolytic cell 16 havingthe side portions 17 and the top portion 18, is connected by means of a pipe 19 with the fume arrester. A second pipe 20 located at a point above the pipe .19, also connects the cell with the fume arrester. The cell is pro- ,vided with an acidulous solution. The pipes 19 and 20 will provide means whereby the solution in the fume arrester and the cell will be caused to circulate back and forth from one to the other, thus carrying thechillorids held in solution to the ce The electrolytic cell may be of any desired type, and as herein shown, is provided with a central porous carbon partition 21, which permits the solution to pass from one side thereof to the other, but prevents the disintegrated carbon from corrupting the copper cathodes. l

The chloride in the solution will be disintegrated, the chlorin gas being liberated in the usual manner at the carbon anode,w hile the metal collects at the copper cathode.

A pipe 22 leads from the electrolytic cell and connects with the pipe 7, so that the chlorin gas may be returned to the furnace and 're-used in the volatilization of the ores. If desired, a chlorin gas storage tank might be conveniently interposed between the pipes 22 and 7 and serve. as a means for storing the chlorin kgas until it is desired to be used.

While 1 have shown and described a par'- ticular form of fume arrester and electroelectrolytic lytic cell, it should be clearly understood that any other form of fume arrester may be used, and that any desired form of electrolytic cell may be used, the essential vfeatures being that fthe fumesl containing the' chlorids as they pass from the furnace will be caught in solution Where the chlorids may be separated, and the chlorin gas liberated 1 by the electrolytic action.

My improved process, therefore, which is preferably carried out by the apparatus above described, consists in treating the crushed' ore with chlorin gas in a heated` chamber, so that the ores are volatilized;

' then passing the fumes out from the furnace through a fume arrester, Where the chlorids are caught in solution; the separat-V ing of the chlorin gas from thechlorids by electrolytic action, and the passing of the chlorin gas back to the furnace, Where it may be re-used in the volatilizatioaction in the furnace.

Any other form of apparatus may be used, Y

'meente from said ore the fumes containing the chlorids. of the metals, pass said fes into an aqueous acid solution, separatin the chlorin gas from ,the metals by electro ysis in the solution, and ain passing the reclaimed chlorin gas through the ore in the inclosed heat' chamber, whereby said v chlorin gas is re-used in the volatilization of the ores.

2. rll`he process of volatilizing themetals out of ores, consisting in heating a closed chamber containing the ore and treating the ore in hot condition with chlorin gas, collectin from said orer the fumes containing the ch orids of the metals, passing said fumes into an aqueous acid solution, 4separating the chlorin gas from the metals in the solution, and agam passing the reclaimed chlorin as through the ore in the inclosed heating chamber, whereby said chlorin gas is re-used in the volatilization of the ores, and also serves as a carrier for conveying the metals from the ores to the solution, where said metals may be recovered.

ln testimony whereof ll aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

SELDEN RWllN CLAWSON. lVitnesses:`

W. H. THOMAS,

HnNRr TnoMeS. 

